Cessna 172M accident near Midway, Texas, October 23, 1987
On October 23, 1987 at about 8:04 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N4357R, was destroyed in an accident near Midway, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1987 · about 8:04 pm local time
- Place
- Midway, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N4357R · no longer on the register · serial 17263108
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT (A CO-OWNER) WAS ON THE 1ST FLT OF THE ACFT AFTER ITS 150 HP LYCOMING O-320 ENG HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH A 180 HP LYCOMING O-360 ENG. HE TOOK OFF AT ABOUT 1115 CDT. THE FLT PROGRESSED W/O RPRTD INCIDENT UNTIL 1437 CDT, WHEN THE PLT STATED THE ACFT WAS LOW ON FUEL. HE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO CONROE, TX & WAS CLRD TO PROCEED DIRECT. HE DSCNDD FROM 9000' TO 4000'. AT ABT 1559, HE DECLARED AN EMERG, STATING THE ENG HAD LOST PWR. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE TRIED TO MAKE AN EMERG LANDING IN AN OPEN AREA. HOWEVER, BEFORE LANDING, THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HAD A FUEL CAPACITY OF 38 GAL OF USABLE FUEL. IT HAD BEEN FLOWN ON A PREVIOUS FLT FOR APRX 1/2 HR & WAS NOT REFUELED PRIOR TO THIS FLT. PERSONNEL OF THE COMPANY THAT REPLACED THE ENG RPRTD THEY HAD BRIEFED THE PLT THAT FUEL CONSUMPTION OF THE NEW ENG WAS APRX 10 GAL/HR PER THE LYCOMING O-360 HANDBOOK. THE PLT'S SHOULDER HARNESS WAS FND IN A STOWED PSN.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 229 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 205 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,133 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1987; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EGT Wellington KS at 4:15 pm
- Destination: CXO Conroe TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from CLL, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.